Burial vault



Feb. 10, 1931. I w us 1,792,431

BURIAL VAULT Filed Dec. 17, 928 2 Sheets-Sheet WTNESSES WYFOR I I 72156 ;24/6 BY %t j 5 Patented Feb. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAIEI H. KRUSE, OIES'I'. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO THE KRUSE MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF -MISSOURI BURIAL VAULT Application filed December 17, 1928. Serial No. 326,&36.

This invention relates to burial vaults and the like and more particularly relates to sealing means therefor.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of an improved means in conjunction with a burial Vault and the like, designed and adapted to enable the sealing thereof, to the end that it will be waterproof under any conditions.

Another object of the invention is the pro- Vision of a waterproof burial vault the casket receiving and closing parts of which are united by the fusion of suitable materials embodied thereby, to the end that the Vault will be rendered waterpr'oof in every respect for burial purposes.

The nature of the invention and its distinguishing features and advantages will appear When the following speciication is read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View OI" a burial Vault, the closure element being shown separated from the main enclosure or vault body, a portion of the latter being broken away; and the section being taken on the line 1--1 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end View of the main enclosure or Vault body.

Fig. 4 is ahorizontal sectional View of one end of the main enclosure or Vault body, and the closure element, and also showing the fusible materials appliecl to the parts, together with the heating means shown partly in dot and dash lines, and the closure ele- .ment being shown separated from said end.

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4:, but showing the closure element united with the main enclosure or Vault body.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings it will be apparent that there has been shown a burial Vault which may be of any preferred size and shape, and which may be constructed of any preferred material or combiiation of materials. The Vault consists of two parts, a part 10 and a part 11. These parts are both preferably made of reinforced waterproof concrete, and together constitute a Vault of o blong ormation. The part 10 is in fact the main enclosure, Vault body, or casket receiving section, whereas, the part 11 constitutes a closure element for the part 10. The part 10 has an entrance opening through which a casket is introduced, and said opening in the present instance is at one end of the part 10, but obviously it may occur at the top. The open end of the part 10 has a continuous groove 12 which is disposed inwardly from the extreme edge of said end to present shoulders 13 and 14:. The outer ede of the part 11 is grooved or rabbeted as at 15 to provide a shoulder 16.

In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the part 10 is' provided with suitable fusible naterial or substance, such as asphalt or the like designated 17. The material or substance 17 is applied to the grooved and shouldered end in such a manner as to present a beveled seat as shown most clearly in Fig. 4. The part 11 is also provided with fusible material such as asphalt or the like designated 18. The material 18 is applied so as to conform to the seat presented by the material 17 and to allow the part 11 to be positioned in the entrance opening of the part 10. In order to fuse the materials 17 and 18 when the part 11 is in closing position, :tor

the purpose of eli'ectively uniti the parts 10 and 11 to constitute a structural integral-- ity, there is provided means presently to be described. Loops of wire 19 of conducting material are embedded in or applied to the interior surface of the material 17 of the part 10, and said wire loops may have electrically connected therewith a suitable source of electrical energy. The resistance of the wire 19 will* be such that when the current is passed therethrough, it will become incandescent, or be heated to such degree as to cause fusion of the particular fusible material used.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the part 11 may be set in place in the open end of the part 10, after which the electric current may be caused to pass through the wire 19, causing a fusion of the materials 17 and 18. When said materials cool suficiently they will coalesce, and thus unite the parts 10 and 11, making it impossible, because of l the nature of the fornations of the parts 10 and 11 to move the part 11 either inwardly or outwardly. The vault Will therefore be sealed in such ;i manner as to render it Weterproof to all intents and purposes, While the part ll Will he securely held in place.

From the foregoing it Will he appnrent that by reason of the provision and construction set 'orth :L vault may be sealed in an expeditious inanner regardless of Weather conditions at the place of huriei. The sealing of the vault is performed at the point of burial While on the ground, after which the ei1- closed casket and vault may be lowered into the grave.

I claim:

The combination of a main container section having an entrance opening and also provided With fusible material interiorly thereof at said opening and forming an out- Wardly beveled seat, a piece of resistance Wire formed into loops which are embedded in the interior surface of said fusible n'aterial, a closure section provided With fusible material on the periphery thereof and ;toi-med complemental to said beveled seat, Whereby the closure section Will fit in the entrance opening of the continer section With the fusible material thereon in contact With the fusible material on the container section, and Whereby upon connecting the ends of the wire With a source of electrical energy said Wire Will heet and fuse the material on said sections and cause them to unite to form a fluid tight bond between said sections.

WILLIAM H. KRUSE. 

